Three Drone Pilots Arrested for Unauthorized Flights Over LA Wildfires

Three people have been arrested in connection with flying unauthorized drones over the Los Angeles area amid the deadly wildfires.

L.A. County Sherrif Robert Luna revealed in a press conference on Monday that 34 arrests have been made in fire evacuation areas and three of those relate to the unauthorized flying of drones.

“If you’re thinking that it’s fine to send a drone up in the area for your own amusement, or you want to get information that nobody else can get, and you do it in one of these areas that for which drones are not permitted … you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law,” says L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, per Fox 11 Los Angeles.

The worst incident by far is an incident last Thursday when a civilian-operated drone collided with a firefighting “Super Scooper” airplane while it was operating above the Palisades Fire. The plane was able to land safely but the incident is still under investigation.

The damaged Super Scooper plane, left, which was hit by a drone. The remains of which have been recovered by the FBI, right. | Los Angeles FBI

Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris says that officials have detected 48 privately owned drones flying over the wildfires since the city-wide blazes started last Tuesday.

It is illegal to fly a drone over a wildfire as it is seen as interfering with the firefighting efforts. The UAVs can get in the way of low-flying firefighting aircraft and delay emergency responders. The Hill reports that on Friday, an aircraft trying to contain the Palisades wildfire was forced to leave the area because of unauthorized drones in the air.

“It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the FAA says. “The FAA has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones in the (temporary flight restrictions).”

Deemed to be a federal crime, flying a drone over a wildfire is punishable by up to a year in prison and a $75,000 fine. Officials have asked the public to share information about any person flying a drone over the fires by contacting the FBI’s Los Angeles office.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.